VOA标准英语2010年-UN Dismisses Reports of Troop Buildup

A representative from the U.N. Mission in Sudan has dismissed reports that extra troops would be sent to the Abyei region in advance of the tense vote.

Responding to recent reports the United Nations planned to deploy¹ an additional 100 troops in the volatile² Abyei region, the U.N. Mission in Sudan spokesman Ashraf Eissa told VOA there has been no decision made regarding deployment³ for the referendum.

On Monday, after the top U.N. diplomat⁴ in Sudan Haile Menkerios said reserves had been sent to Abyei, it was reported 100 U.N. peacekeepers would be deployed⁵ to the region to diffuse⁶ tensions.

But Eissa said there had been confusion regarding Menkerios' statement. "The fact of the matter is that we had, at the end of September, a routine exercise in the form of a long-range patrol called Operation Swift Shield which at that time we informed the media about. There has been some of these troops who are still there getting ready to move on to other parts of Sudan as part of our routine operations testing the U.N. peacekeeping force ability to respond to the requirements of the referenda," he said.

Eissa said the reserve troops had not been deployed in response to any new developments, but as part of a test of the U.N. rapid deployment capabilities⁷.

A Sudan Researcher for the International Crisis Group, Zach Vertin, confirmed to VOA that no decision had been made on troop deployment, but said talks were ongoing⁸ and troops could possibly be deployed in Abyei in advance of the vote.

Tensions are mounting as stalled negotiations⁹ have delayed preparations for the vote to decide whether the residents remain part of the north or possibly join a newly independent south.

Representatives from the north and south have yet to agree on Abyei's borders or eligibility¹⁰ requirements for the January 9 vote.

Khartoum has drawn¹¹ sharp criticism from southern officials after a ruling party official last week said a delay was inevitable¹². The Sudanese Defense¹³ Minister said the vote should be delayed due to the "reality on the ground."

UNMIS spokesman Eissa would not confirm whether there were contingency¹⁴ plans to deal with unrest stemming from a delay. "As far as the United Nations Mission in Sudan is concerned, we are working towards the deadline of 9th of January 2011. We continue to work against this deadline. All our technical assistance and logistical support to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission are on that basis," Erissa states.

Abyei's vote is scheduled to be held alongside a referendum in southern Sudan on secession from the north. In 2009, the Permanent Court of Arbitration¹⁵ ruled on Abyei's borders, but the parties have yet to comply with the verdict. The region, which lies on the border of North and South Sudan, contains vast deposits of oil and was a major point of contention¹⁶ during the Sudanese civil war which ended in 2005.
 

1 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

2 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

3 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

4 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 diffuse   

v.扩散；传播；adj.冗长的；四散的，弥漫的

参考例句：

• Direct light is better for reading than diffuse light.直射光比漫射光更有利于阅读。
• His talk was so diffuse that I missed his point.他的谈话漫无边际，我抓不住他的要点。

7 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

11 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

12 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

15 arbitration   

n.调停，仲裁

参考例句：

• The wage disagreement is under arbitration.工资纠纷正在仲裁中。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding.双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

16 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。